Referring Clients to Music Therapy: A Guide for NDIS Support Coordinators and Aged Care Providers

This page is written for NDIS Support Coordinators, plan managers, aged care facility managers and home care package providers who are considering referring clients to Watagan Health Hub for music therapy. We know you need practical, accurate information, not marketing. Here is everything you need to make a referral decision.

About Watagan Health Hub: provider summary

Watagan Health Hub is an allied health clinic at 646 Freemans Drive, Cooranbong NSW 2265. Our music therapy team consists of two Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) both holding AMTA registration and Masters-level qualifications: Tayla Weber (BMus, MCrMusTh Distinction, Western Sydney University) and Ashleigh Campbell (BMus, MMusThrpy, University of Melbourne). Additional allied health services (speech pathology, occupational therapy and myofunctional therapy) are launching mid-2026. We provide individual and group music therapy in clinic, at client homes, at schools, and at residential aged care facilities. Our mobile service covers Lake Macquarie, Morisset, Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast, extending approximately 45 minutes from our Cooranbong base.

NDIS Support Coordinators and Plan Managers

Music therapy is funded under NDIS Support Category 15 (Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living). The relevant line items are 15_615_0128_1_3 for participants aged 9 and over, and 15_615_0118_1_3 for participants under 9. We accept self-managed, plan-managed and agency-managed participants. Our therapists provide: initial assessment with written assessment report, a documented therapy plan with NDIS-compatible goals, progress notes after every session, and a formal progress review report at the frequency specified in the participant's plan (typically every 6 or 12 months). All documentation is provided in a format suitable for NDIS reporting purposes.

Music therapy is most commonly funded under goals related to: improved communication and social interaction, emotional regulation and management of mental health, engagement in daily activities, and community participation. It is well-supported for participants with ASD, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, psychosocial disability and neurological conditions.

Aged care facility managers

Watagan Health Hub provides mobile music therapy services to residential aged care facilities across the Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley region. We can offer individual sessions for residents with complex or specific clinical needs, and group programs for broader engagement, social connection and quality of life outcomes. The evidence base for music therapy in aged care is substantial: Cochrane systematic reviews support its use for reducing agitation in dementia, improving mood, and enhancing overall quality of life.

Funding options for residential aged care include facility-funded arrangements, resident self-funded sessions, DVA for eligible veterans and their partners, and Home Care Package-funded sessions where residents are on a package. We are experienced in working within aged care documentation and reporting frameworks. Facility partnership arrangements for regular scheduled programming are available. Please contact us to discuss.

Home Care Package and CHSP providers

Music therapy can be funded through Home Care Packages at Levels 1 to 4. Our mobile service visits clients in their homes across Lake Macquarie, Morisset and the Hunter Valley, with flexible scheduling to accommodate care plan requirements. We provide invoices in the format required by approved providers and can supply progress reports for care plan reviews. Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) referrals are also welcome.

How to make a referral

Contact us by phone on (02) 4977 1222 or by email at info@wataganhealthhub.com.au. When making a referral, it helps to include: the client's name and date of birth, their diagnosis or presenting needs, their NDIS participant number or funding type, their preferred location for sessions (home, clinic or facility), and any urgency or specific timing requirements.

We aim to respond to all referrals within two business days. For more detail on our music therapy service, visit our music therapy Lake Macquarie page or read our NDIS music therapy guide. For aged care referrals, our post on music therapy for dementia provides a useful clinical summary. Watagan Health Hub, allied health Cooranbong, is the only allied health clinic in Cooranbong serving the entire Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley region.